Stone Age
by Blind writer
Summary: Every age has its myths, and one of the first was born in a quaint, cave-dwelling community of hunter-gatherers known simply as "Beika".  Toss in an aspiring tracker, a notorious thief, and the stuff of legends is born.  AU, KidShin, IDEK.


_A/N: Why brain, whyyyyyyy? *proceeds to hit head against nearest wall* Not to be taken seriously. Seriously. It just can't decide if it wants to be OoC crack, serious, or just PWP. I think it failed spectacularly, but it was nomming on my head bits until I regurgitated this mess. It just… yea. ''orz_

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><p><strong>.branded.<strong>

Shin'ichi rubbed the dirt between his fingers, raising it to his nose and breathing deeply. He could smell the herbal undertones, a foreign scent from the native soil. Judging by the strength, it was still fresh, too. Straightening, he looked down at the marks on the ground before him. Kid had been here.

He stepped around the patch slowly, so as to not mar the prints. They were scattered in a circle, and splayed in nearly every direction. Only someone as brilliant as Kid would think to cover his trail in such an unorthodox and obnoxious manner. What was particularly annoying, was that the trail stopped cold. No other prints left from this area.

His head craned up, looking in the darkness for any nearby branches he possibly could have reached or jumped at to pull himself off the ground. None. As if he grew wings, and had flow in the sky, like a bird. Shin'ichi's eyes narrowed. Impossible. He frowned, looking back down to the ground. This was troubling, he knew. If rumors of this newest escape came to light, even more public speculation about Kid's supernatural ability would go rampant. Already, many were doubting whether they should even try to capture the thief, for fear of the gods. A number had even taken up referring to him as "Kid-sama", showing unrepentant support for his antics. Some even though he might be a trickster god himself.

Impossible. Shin'ichi did not believe in anything, without seeing with his own eyes. He had proven many things in this way, and he would not stop because of some ill-founded superstition. When the dubious shaman he had proven was a fraud got kicked out of the village, people were wary, but so far, nothing bad had befallen Beika. He doubted the gods were real. Or if they were, they had very little interest in humans.

Shin'ichi smeared the dirt away on his thigh, leaving dark streaks where his fingers had been. He wanted to meet this Kid, capture him, and figure out just what he was trying to accomplish. He'd been close tonight, but Kid managed to slip out of sight. As usual. Many precious items had been stolen so far, but mysteriously, they were always given back. It was the strangest thing he had ever heard of. Any other thief he had encountered stole either food, or weapons, never to be returned. Sometimes they would steal prized adornments, in hopes of bartering with them.

Not Kid, though. He took precious carved heirlooms, oddly shaped stones, even the glimmering ice-like rocks of varying colors. And instead of keeping or bartering them, he always gave them back. With a huge grin and with a face similar to his own, if the sighting reports were to be trusted. That was a persistent source of headaches for him, because every single time, the owner would just automatically assume the person returning the stolen item was Shin'ichi. Somehow, he doubted anyone could resemble a person who was completely unrelated. Items were always returned at night, when the shadows were deep. Kid could look like _anyone_. He'd been known to trick people into thinking he was a woman, even an animal, before. Why was it always Shin'ichi? People's observation skills had to be sorely lacking.

It annoyed him. Even more irritating was that he could not refute such claims on the off-chance there truly was a resemblance. He had yet to see the thief's true face, after all. Kid was mysterious, and the closest he had been able to come was on a moonless night, just enough to see the glint of a sharp grin, wild hair, and trailing edge of a long, white fur skin wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Why white, when he could so easily disappear in the shadows with a black pelt? Just another mystery. Most of his encounters left him out of breath and frustrated, burning the curve of Kid's agile silhouette into his memory. He'd seen it so many times, it had to be his true form. Maybe he could identify him that way, if not by his face. He'd hoped to get even closer this evening, but no such luck.

Most baffling, however, was that he actually announced ahead of time what he would be taking. It was particularly amusing, because the notice was usually a cleverly drawn series of pictures near the entrance of Beika's cave or Ekoda's cliff face. Complete with a signature doodle. It drove one of the neighboring hunting leaders, Nakamori, absolutely nuts, because he rarely depicted exactly what he would take outright. It was almost like a kind of game.

Kid was incredibly smart. He even had a strange way of using symbols to make meaning. Shin'ichi was the only one in Beika who was able to understand it. He'd seen the concept in action, his father one of the pioneers in the movement, calling it "writing", and even toyed with it a bit himself, but that was a side venture, and he was far more interested in discovering what lay for him out in the world. His enthusiasm for seeking things made him one of the best trackers in Beika.

Shin'ichi stared at the ground, one hand drawn to his chin in thought. This spot was roughly in-between the two villages. He could pay Ekoda a visit, to see if Hakuba had heard of anything strange.

The neighboring village of Ekoda had a skilled tracker who was particularly good at finding stolen items. Shin'ichi had met him once, and was quite awed by his unusual appearance. He was purportedly the child of a sun god, but Shin'ichi suspected he hailed from a distant land. His father had met such strange looking, fair-haired humans during his travels, so he knew them to be true. Shin'ichi had consulted with him once, but he seemed to have no clues for him. A glint in his eye hinted at a suspicion, but when Hakuba spoke nothing of it, he knew it was probably just a personal hunch. Shin'ichi trusted instinct, but he knew how things could get out of hand, if anything was ever said prematurely. Worst case scenario, a poor, innocent person would be stoned. So, he respected Hakuba's silence on the matter.

Nodding his head, he took one more lingering look at the prints in the dirt, and turned, following them, heading back in the direction of Beika. This trail was cold, so it was time to look for another, and wait in ambush for when the stolen stone was returned. He paused as he passed a tree, noting the scuffed bark from the corner of his eye. It was dark, cloudy, and very difficult to see, but his eyes were sharper than most. Shin'ichi blinked and drew a hand over the roughness. Something had been climbing this tree, and it was fresh. His gaze rose up, and was startled to find a crouching fox staring at him.

Scratch that, that was no fox. His face was painted like one, though. "Kid." He blurted it out, and it was almost insulting to break the night silence with his voice. It had to be. A slow, predatory grin grew, and Shin'ichi suddenly realized he should move before he was jumped on and put temporarily out of commission. Kid was known for using captured smoke to knock people out. Shin'ichi really wanted to know how he managed to do that, but not like this. He bounced back a few paces, keeping his eyes on Kid.

Kid remained in the tree, only turning his head to follow the movement. And then he spoke. His leg tensed, nearly staggering from the shock. He sounded so much like _him_. Maybe that was why so many people were under the mistaken impression Shin'ichi was the one returning the stolen items. "I've been curious about you. Your eyes are sharp, overturning every leaf, checking under each rock, looking at each snapped twig, unraveling all my traps and following my steps like an unrelenting shadow. More interestingly, you actually predict my escape routes. Everyone else just gives up and goes back to the fire, but you stay out here, chasing until you can't. You are a tracker, but you are beyond that. Why so persistent?"

"I want to see you with my own eyes. As long as you run, I will chase you." His conviction was firm - he had more than a few questions about the mysterious Kid.

He chuckled. "Oh? Tracker-san said something different." Tracker-san? After a moment, he figured he must be talking about Hakuba. No one else he knew aside from Nakamori was as dedicated to chasing the thief, and Nakamori was a hunter. So, he'd been close enough for a conversation - no wonder he carried a suspicion. He was incredibly curious, now. "He asked me why I do it. Very unsociable, answering every question with a question."

Shin'ichi eyed Kid warily. Hakuba made no mention of any kind of exchange of words, nor any enlightening theories about possible motivations. Clearly he did not get a reply. "So would you answer a question when asked directly?"

"Perhaps, if I find it to be interesting, or worthwhile."

Interesting. Kid did not reply to Hakuba, which just meant he would not give an answer to that _particular_ question. Shin'ichi decided to try something else. "Before, you rescued some men from one of your own traps. You could have fled, and made your escape, but you came back. Why risk capture like that?"

Kid grinned, tilting his head slightly. "I have a certain personal policy. That trap had broken, and had I not interfered, someone may have been seriously injured. I may be a thief, but I never intend to hurt anyone."

That certainly confirmed one theory that had been stewing in Shin'ichi's mind. He relaxed his shoulders a bit. It also meant he was not in a dangerous situation. He knew of Kid's accuracy with a stone sling. The fact he used compacted mud balls instead of stones also made more sense. Those were far less lethal, and, at best, left little splatter marks - colorful, if Kid was feeling particularly mischievous.

"There have been imposters, in the past. Every time, you have shown yourself, to prove the culprit as a fake, sometimes even apprehending the imposter yourself. Why take such interest?" Shin'ichi knew they were fakes each time, anyway. None of them were even a fraction as skilled or intelligent as Kid was.

The fur skin behind Kid swayed as he shifted, turning to face him fully. "Those men tried to hide behind the image of a trickster god. They are far from gods, and deserved to be captured."

Shin'ichi frowned. "I have little faith in the gods."

Kid tilted his head. "Faith is important, as it brings light to people's lives. However, it should not be used for something as selfish as taking another person's food."

"And do you see yourself as a trickster god?"

He got a noisy chuckle in reply. "Far from it. I bring magic to people, but I am as human as you are."

He smirked up at Kid. "I'm afraid I'm just as skeptical of magic, Kid."

"That's a shame. You should leave yourself open to wonder, Shadow-san." He blinked at the endearment. It seemed somewhat appropriate, even if he was used to being called by his name. He was always chasing after Kid, just as he had earlier described. It was like a strange kind of attachment. Personal.

"Do you ever plan on revealing your motives?" Shin'ichi held his breath. This was not a direct imitation, but it teetered awfully close to the question Hakuba had tried and failed.

A long pause, and he was beginning to fear this exchange had gone sour. "Eventually."

Shin'ichi's eyes narrowed, trying to discern Kid's features behind the painted mask. "But not until after you've accomplished what you've set out to do. I don't see you turning yourself in."

"Very good, Shadow-san." Fluidly, Kid flipped around the branch and landed on the ground. He straightened and stepped forward with a fierce grin. "As I thought, you are much more than just a tracker."

Shin'ichi tensed as Kid drew nearer. He could tackle him, and maybe land a good kick or two, but he seemed pretty agile. It might be a tough catch. He had no time to react when a pungent smell invaded his senses, and he felt his legs and fingers going numb. Blinking nervously, he saw the faint wisps of smoke flittering away, and realized he'd just been drugged. His nervousness flew straight up into alarm when he was suddenly backed into a tree, Kid holding his wrists almost painfully. The bark of the tree jabbed unevenly and uncomfortably against his skin. He had on a smug smirk that Shin'ichi wanted to wipe off his face.

"I'll let you in on a secret. I've been watching you for a long, long time. I have no mate, as women don't interest me, and none of the men have sufficiently been able to impress me." His head was tilted, giving an appraising gaze down the length of his body. He could see the deep glitter of Kid's eyes track down his body, pausing noticeably at the flimsy loincloth he had worn that day. Blood traced its way into his cheeks. It had been hot that day, so he had little reason for much else.

Shin'ichi nearly let out an indecent squeak when Kid pressed his hips forward, rocking in a slow motion that he recognized as part of a mating ritual. Wait, what? Kid planned to take him as a _mate_? This was ridiculous! Okay, so he also walked the dangerous path of man-lust, but he never told anyone but Ran about that. She even offered to pretend to be his mate for appearance's sake. Kid was his target as a tracker, nothing else! Sure, he had a nice line, definitely strong, well-built, and maybe, occasionally he did a little penis negotiating with Kid's taunting figure in mind- nono, _wait_. Kid rocked again, and leaned in, whispering. "And I am _impressed_. I will have you as mine."

Shin'ichi grit his teeth, forcing every bit of stubborn will into his words. "And what if I already have intentions towards another?" Not that he did, but damnit, he did not want to be branded in this situation, so quickly, so - _gods_ that felt good. Wait, focus.

His chuckle was dark. "I think you're forgetting something very important here." His breath was hot against his ear, a mere hair's breadth away. "I am a _thief_."

"I thought you give everything you steal back." Focus, focus on anything except this force of nature in front of him. Death, Kogorou boasting, Ran punching, Megure belly-dancing- _not working_.

Another series of suggestive nudges, and another chuckle. Oh, that swirling motion was really nice. "That doesn't apply to what I'm looking for." Oh, interesting. Shin'ichi filed that away into a tidy, little pouch, and stuffed it in the first empty slot his brain could conjure, because he was having trouble recalling anything, much less analyzing.

"And if I don't want to?" His voice rose, nearly squeaking. Kid's head tilted against his neck, slowing to a stop. He seemed to be considering an answer, and Shin'ichi mentally sighed in relief at the reprieve.

Kid finally leaned back, loosening his grip. His eyes were dark, and intent. "You will." And then suddenly everything faded in another explosion of strange smells, as he faded into drugged nothingness.

When he awoke, it was still dark outside, but the dim gray of an encroaching morning was hanging in the air. Bolting up, his hand flew to his chest, and he craned his neck down to look. Marked there was the caricature Kid always signed on his wall notices. He'd been branded! The mark of one mated! By _Kid_ no less, who had the most famous mark of all. This spelled oblivion for his future. His chest heaved in short, panicked breaths when the oddness of things struck him. Shouldn't he be in pain? He stared down at the mark on his chest again, running a hand over it lightly. His breath caught, as he realized it was not a true mark, but a painted one.

Dumbfounded, he stared at it. Kid had marked him as his, but this was a temporary one. Shin'ichi could easily wash it off in the river before heading back to the cave. His cheeks exploded into red when he realized Kid was telling him that he was _marked_. No amount of scrubbing would erase the intention. Yes, he'd been branded. An invisible, secret mark, just as untraceable as Kid himself.

His fingers traced over it curiously, almost absently. It was dangerous and safe, unknown and familiar. He'd managed to get himself wrapped up in something mysterious. The corners of his lips quirked up, just the slightest. He would continue to chase Kid, tail him to the ends of the earth, and unravel that curiosity, regardless. This mark on his chest was nothing more than sealing him to a promise he had already made. How things go from there, well… That's for when he catches Kid.

The sky grew paler, and the morning chirps of birds began singing themselves into cheerful awareness. Standing up and stretching the kinks from his back, Shin'ichi began making his way in the direction of the river. Yes. Time to redouble his efforts, and go for that visit to Ekoda. A chat with Hakuba might do him well.

He would not let Kid get away a second time. Not until he got the answers he was looking for.


End file.
